By Michele Miller, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Anclote Elementary: Book fair ends Friday.

Gulfside Elementary: Book fair, Friday through Sept. 23. All Pro Dad Breakfast, 9 a.m. Sept. 23.

Rushe Middle: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs spaghetti dinner, 6 p.m. Sept. 30.

Seven Oaks Elementary: Third Grade Parent Night, 6 p.m. Sept. 23.

Seven Springs Elementary: Advisory council, 4 p.m. today. • Skate party, 4 p.m. Thursday at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs. • Book fair ends Friday.

Sunlake High: College fair, today during school hours.

Performing arts

Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel High, 30652 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel. (813) 794-8772.

• Childsplay Theater of Tempe, Ariz., presents Ferdinand the Bull at 10:30 a.m. and noon Sept. 28. $4.

• Florida Orchestra Master Concert, 8 p.m. Oct. 7. $20.

Library events

Hudson Regional, 8012 Library Road. (727) 861-3040.

• Paint, Splatter, Splash, 2 p.m. Saturday. Elementary ages.

Hugh Embry, 14215 Fourth St., Dade City. (352) 567-3576.

• Teen Anime/Manga Club, 4 p.m. Thursday.

• Tween Night, featuring Magic, Wii, X-Box, board games and snacks, 3 p.m. Friday.

Land O'Lakes, 2818 Collier Parkway. (813) 929-1214.

• Martial Arts Demo, 6 p.m. Friday. For teens.

• Kids Crafts, 2 p.m. Saturday. Elementary ages.

New River, 34043 State Road 54, Zephyrhills. (813) 788-6375.

• Craft Corner, 2 p.m. Saturday. Elementary ages.

• Teen Gaming Club, 2 p.m. Saturday.

Regency Park, 8701 Little Road, New Port Richey. (727) 861-3049.

• Monster Magnets, 6 p.m. Thursday.

South Holiday, 4649 Mile Stretch Drive. (727) 834-3331.

• Teen Movie Night, 6 p.m. today.

• Back to School Crafts, 2 p.m. Saturday. Elementary ages.

Briefs

• Seven Springs Middle School will host A Taste of Trinity from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the cafeteria.

• Take in a Rays game during Pasco Education Foundation Rays Day at 1:40 p.m. Sept. 26, when the team takes on the Seattle Mariners. All ticket purchases are entered into a drawing to win a B.J. Upton autographed baseball. The first 10,000 kids 14 and younger get a Rays recyclable beach set, and kids can run the bases after the game. This promotion saves $5 per ticket purchased. Buy tickets online. Today is the deadline to order. Visit pasco educationfoundation.org.

Contests

EPIC's 2011 Writing Competition: For middle school and high school students attending public, private or home schools. Entries can be a story, poem or essay, written specifically for the contest or as a school assignment for grades 6-8 (ages 11-14) or grades 9-12 (ages 15-18) No entry fee. The deadline is Oct. 20. For details, go to newvoices youngwriters.com.

College bound upcoming events

• Pasco-Hernando Community College will host a College Night for Pasco County students from 6 to 7:30 p.m. today at the west campus, 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey. Attendees can speak to admissions representatives from public and private colleges and universities, vocational and technical schools, and the military. Parents are encouraged to attend with their children. For information, call (352) 567-6701 or (727) 816-3205.

• Friday is the regular deadline and Oct. 1 the late deadline (late fee required) to register for the ACT to be administered on Oct. 23. For information or to register, go to actstudent.org.

• Mitchell High's College Planning Night will be at 7 p.m. Monday. Topics include choosing the right school, the application process, community college, financial aid and scholarships, and the ACT or SAT.

• Wiregrass Ranch High School PTSA will host a Prince­ton Review practice SAT with a strategy session from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the school, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel. Check-in is at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided. Preregistration until Friday is $15; late registration Saturday is $20. This event is open to students at all schools. For information, contact Stacie Lenners at slenners@tampabay.rr.com or call (813) 482-4966.

• A Princeton Review SAT/ACT Practice Test will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 25 at Wesley Chapel High, 30651 Wells Road. The test features a mix of SAT and ACT questions and provides students with a side-by-side comparison of their projected scores on each exam. All students who take the practice test are invited to a follow-up session to discuss their strengths and weaknesses and basic test-taking techniques. The exam is open to all students, including those in nearby schools and home education programs. The test fee is $20, all of which supports the Wesley Chapel High School PTSA. For information, call Jennifer Larimore at (813) 794-8722.

Send written story ideas and submissions for Top of the Class to Michele Miller; by e-mail, miller@sptimes.com; fax, (727) 869-6233; regular mail, 11321 U.S. 19, Port Richey, FL 34668. Call Miller at (727) 869-6251 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6251.

By Dominick Tao, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

LARGO — City commissioners approved Largo's tentative 2011 budget Monday night, relying on a variety of measures to reduce general fund spending by $3.5 million, the largest cut since the city began reacting to reduced revenue in 2008.

The largest individual money-saving measures came from reducing police and fire pension plans and freezing employee salaries.

Police and fire pension adjustments are expected to save the city $770,000, and halting raises is expected to further reduce expenses by about $600,000.

The city department that undertook the broadest array of cost-saving measures was the parks department, which won funding to keep the controversial closure of the George McGough Nature Center from moving forward, but accounted for a third of employee layoffs.

Some of the reductions by the parks department have been criticized by the mayor and commissioners for relying on increased revenue to reduce costs, rather than actually cutting services or programs. Some of those proposed revenue sources include increasing fees for services like youth sports and summer camp, as well as a $5 increase for recreation facility membership cards.

While city Recreation, Parks and Arts director Joan Byrne has said in the past that reducing its expenses by increasing revenue should keep the department within budget, the strategy has been met with skepticism from commissioners.

"Those projections, they're overly generous," said Commissioner Curtis Holmes, one of the most vocal critics of the parks department budget strategy. "I don't know how they're going to do it."

Holmes said he also feels that other city projections have been overly rosy, such as income from the local option sales tax levied within Largo.

"I think the city is counting on chickens for eggs that haven't been laid," Holmes said. "If the city administration is wrong, it's catastrophic. If I'm wrong, it's wonderful."

The local option sales tax depends on people spending money within the city — an uncertain prospect during a recession — that required city planners to estimate.

The budget will be up for final approval at 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at City Hall.

Dominick Tao can be reached at dtao@sptimes.com at (727) 580-2951.

By Waveney Ann Moore, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Diane Stewart, 65, recently moved into her new home at City Place, a new senior rental apartment community at 298 Eighth St. N in St. Petersburg. “I feel like I’m home, finally,” Stewart said.

ST. PETERSBURG — Laid off at age 61, Diane Stewart has had a difficult past four years. She was forced to give up a comfortable beach apartment and downscale into more modest government-subsidized quarters.

A week ago, though, she moved into a spanking new apartment that makes her feel as though she has her old life back.

"I feel like I'm home, finally,'' gushed Stewart, 65, Tuesday. "This is the first time I've had new, new.''

Stewart and more than a dozen others began moving into City Place Senior Living, 298 Eighth St. N, over the Labor Day weekend. The affordable housing complex with four floors of apartments for people over 55 boasts granite countertops and laundry hook-ups in each apartment, silk draperies in lobby areas, a library, fitness room, computer room and covered parking for each of the 82 units. There is a shuffleboard court, a rooftop terrace and even a place where visiting grandchildren can play.

There are still vacancies for those who meet the income requirements, said building manager Jim Peace of Cambridge Management.

Her apartment is a godsend, said Stewart, a former compliance officer for a manufacturer.

"I live on $700 a month. I never expected to have anything this nice on my income,'' she said.

Besides, the downtown location is convenient. "This is my neighborhood. I spend most of my time here, at the Sunshine Center, and the library and St. Peter's (Episcopal Cathedral). Walgreens is just up the street. I just moved five blocks away. This is close to where I spend my life,'' she said.

Stewart said she watched the complex being built and called the day the sign went up. She didn't get one of the building's balcony units, but she is thrilled with the two-bedroom, two-bath apartment she's still decorating. Tuesday she showed off her new home, which she has furnished with finds from CASA and other thrift shops.

"I have a full-size kitchen,'' she said.

"This room,'' she said, pointing to the living room, "is going to be a pale gold. The kitchen is going to be a deeper gold.''

The second bedroom is for crafts and her computer work. The second bathroom, well, that's for her cat, Jasper.

Willie Mae McGarrah is just as pleased with her new apartment.

"I never dreamed this would happen to me at age 82. … Brand new everything,'' she said.

Like Stewart, she also moved from another low-income downtown complex. She'd read about the new building for seniors in the newspaper, and her daughter encouraged her to make the move.

"I feel comfortable here. I met so many of the neighbors here, and everybody is of one accord,'' said McGarrah, resplendent in a flowing pink dress accessorized with pink earrings, necklace and head scarf.

Tuesday she got a chance to meet Mayor Bill Foster, who attended the grand opening.

"I hadn't met him since he became mayor,'' said McGarrah, who took the opportunity to remind Foster that they once attended the same church.

The $15.5 million project was developed by Southport Financial Services with help from the Florida Housing Finance Corp., the agency that administers the low-income housing tax credit program. A $500,000 loan from the city of St. Petersburg at 1 percent interest aided its tax credit application. Pinellas County and Regions Bank also were involved in the project.

Waveney Ann Moore can be reached at wmoore@sptimes.com or (727) 892-2283.

By Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Whether flowing past the shores of the United States, Cuba or Mexico, the life that teems in the Gulf of Mexico knows no political or geographical boundaries.

The same can't be said for the humans who study them.

Scientists from those three nations are at the mercy of the political climates in their own country and the others, too.

Many hope this month's meeting of American, Cuban and Mexican scientists at Sarasota's Mote Marine Laboratory is a sign that things are starting to change.

They'll be discussing ways all three nations can work together to study and preserve the Gulf of Mexico and deal with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Professor Frank Muller-Karger, an oceanographer at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science, said it's hard for scientists to understand their own corner of the gulf without knowing what the other scientists have learned about their corners.

"We miss out on a lot of what's going on and how the Gulf of Mexico works," he said. "I'm interested in working with them so that we can understand how the water moves and how it affects underwater life in that part of the world and how it's connected.

"We know so little about what's going on in their waves and vice versa."

Kumar Mahadevan, president and chief executive of Mote Marine Lab Inc., said part of the conference will be dedicated to the oil spill disaster in the gulf. American scientists can share what they've learned about the Deepwater Horizon spill, and Mexican scientists can share what they learned after the Ixtoc I oil spill.

"Mexico had that terrible spill in 1979 and now we have the Deepwater Horizon spill in our waters," Mahadevan said. "Cuba is getting ready to drill for oil off their coast, so I think they can really benefit from the experience that the U.S. and Mexican scientists have had to prevent the same kind of issues."

This will be the fourth meeting of the Tri-National Initiative for Marine Science and Conservation of the Gulf of Mexico and Western Caribbean, set for Sept. 27-29.

Delegates from Cuba's Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología y Medio Ambiente (Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment), the Acuario Nacional de Cuba (the National Aquarium of Cuba) and the Instituto de Oceanologia (Institute of Oceanology) have been invited.

Their visas to visit the U.S., though, have not yet been issued. The Environmental Defense Fund is helping obtain them. The U.S. embargo has frustrated scientists in the past, said the fund's senior attorney, Daniel Whittle. He hopes this will be different.

Visas for 120 Cuban scientists were canceled on the eve of a Las Vegas conference in 2003, Whittle said. The next meetings were held overseas, in Cancún in 2007 and Havana in 2009. But last year the U.S. approved visits by four Cuban officials to Washington, D.C.

Muller-Karger complained that at one point the scientific exchange between the U.S. and Cuba "almost ground to a halt." This conference can't change things overnight, he said. But it can help.

"It's a small step," he said. "But every small step is a big deal."

Times researcher Natalie Watson contributed to this report.

Times staff
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

COUNTYWIDE

Rotary selling wreaths for the holidays

The Rotary Club of Spring Hill is taking orders now through Nov. 1 for its holiday wreath fundraiser. The wreaths are a 22-inch round mix of noble fir, incense cedar and berried juniper, They come decorated with a plaid bow and pinecones. Orders can be shipped in the continental United States with a gift message. Cost is $37 each and includes shipping. They are delivered to recipients the first two weeks following Thanksgiving. Funds raised support scholarships and youth programs. To place an order or for information, call Carol McElroy at (352) 684-6840.

Submit photos for city's calendar

The city of Brooksville invites amateur and professional photographers of all ages to submit their Hernando County photos for the 2011 Hernando County Community Calendar. Photos can be submitted in 20 categories. Thirteen photographs, one for each month and one for the calendar cover, will be selected based on composition, creativity and relevancy. The top 13 photos will be on display at an exhibit. Photographers will be recognized at the Fall Art Reception at the Brooksville City Hall Art Gallery. Photo categories, search criteria and rules are available at City Hall, 201 Howell Ave., at cityofbrooksville.us. All entries must be received at City Hall by Sept. 24, no exceptions. For information, contact Rhonda Hancock or Lindsay Morgan at (352) 540-3810.

SPRING HILL

Workshop targets seniors finances

The United Way of Hernando County, in partnership with CredAbility, will offer "Facing Financial Challenges," a financial workshop designed to educate seniors facing financial challenges or seeking to improve their financial positions. It will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Spring Hill Branch/Harold G. Zopp Memorial Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive. Topics include making sense of financial planning, parts of a financial plan, options and risks of a reverse mortgage and advantages of a reverse mortgage. No reservations are required. For information, call toll-free 1-800-864-9481, ext. 8368.

Today's meetings

Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority, 4:30 p.m., Southwest Florida Water Management District, 2379 Broad St., south of Brooksville.

City of Brooksville Planning and Zoning Commission, 6:30 p.m., City Hall, 201 Howell Ave.

Today's picks

Back to Basics: Native plants horticulture class. 10 a.m., Spring Hill Branch/Harold G. Zopp Memorial Library, 9220 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill. Free. (352) 754-4433.

St. Paul the Apostle roast beef dinner: 4-6:30 p.m., United Church of Christ, 4244 Mariner Blvd., Spring Hill. $7 per adult; $4 per child 11 and younger; $18 per family (two adults, two children), with $3.50 per additional child. Takeouts are an additional 75 cents. (352) 584-3988.

Hernando deaths

Detailed obituaries are published in Tampa Bay.

Times staff
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Today

QiGong: QiGong warmup, movement progression and meditation with a certified instructor. Wednesdays and Fridays. 9-10 a.m. First session free. $3 for members, $4 for non-members. Dr. William E. Hale Senior Activity Center, 330 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Sponsor: Sharon Snow. (813) 249-7356.

Bay Bouquet Garden Club Meeting: The Bay Bouquet Garden Club will present the program, "The Care and Staging of Staghorn Ferns," at its upcoming meeting. Guests are welcome. 9:30 a.m. Dunedin Public Library, 223 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. (727) 787-3927.

Safety Harbor Garden Club: Learn how to improve your landscape at monthly meeting of the Safety Harbor Garden Club; bring a small arrangement for show or trade. This month, find out how to grow a lush garden in a limited space as Nancy Wilkes demonstrates self-watering stacking planters that grow vegetables, flowers and herbs in a small space. 9:30 a.m. Free. Safety Harbor Library, 101 Second St. N, Safety Harbor. (727) 953-6230.

Tea for Tots: The annual Lighthouse of Pinellas' full-catered lunch with entertainment and motivational speaking by season eight American Idol finalist Scott MacIntyre. MacIntyre will sing, play piano and share the story of his musical success after starting to play piano by ear at age 3. Benefits the Lighthouse of Pinellas Children's Programs. 11:30 a.m. $50. Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 N McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. (727) 544-4433, ext. 241; www.lighthouseofpinellas.org.

Learn to Perform Card Magic: Master magician William Kahn, a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the Society of American Magicians, will present two workshops jam-packed with card magic anyone can do. Following the workshop he will be signing Kahncepts, his latest book on card magic. Those who attend should bring a regular deck of playing cards. Each class is limited to 50 adult students. 2-4 p.m. Free. Dunedin Public Library, 223 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. (727) 298-3080, ext. 224.

Auditions for You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown: City of Oldsmar Leisure Services. Needed are dancers, singers and actors of all ages. Rehearsals will be during evening hours. Performance dates are Nov. 11-14 at R. E. Olds Amphitheater. 7-9 p.m. today. Cypress Forest Recreation Center, 650 Pine Ave. N, Oldsmar. (813) 749-1253.

Reptile Club Meeting: The public is invited to the Reptile Club's annual scavenger hunt. Bring water, flashlights and bug spray, and explore Moccasin Lake Nature Park. 7 p.m. Free. Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane, Clearwater. (727) 942-6700 or visit kingsnake.com/ suncoastherpsociety.

Thursday

Kiwanis of Springtime City to Meet: Elyse Van Breemen with "Creating is Joy" will share how to think outside of the box. The public is welcome to attend. Call for reservations. 6 p.m. Clearwater Country Club, 525 N Betty Lane, Clearwater. (727) 725-7549. kiwanis.org/club/springtimecity/

Historic Plumb House Museum Tours: The Historic Plumb House, an original Cracker-style home built circa 1896, contains period furnishings, vintage photographic collections, artifacts and documents of historical significance, including yearbooks from Clearwater High School and memorabilia from the Clearwater Bombers, 10-time world softball champions. Free, but donations are welcome. 8:30-11:30 a.m. Plumb House Museum, 1380 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Clearwater. (727) 446-2676.

Indoor Fresh Market: The air-conditioned mall corridors house a market with fresh produce, prepared foods, multicultural and specialty food, greenery, arts and crafts, music and plenty of seating for people-watching. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today through Sunday. Free, though market items are individually priced. Seminole Mall, 11201 Park Blvd., Seminole. (727) 776-7261.

Tai Chi: Learn at a relaxed pace. Tuesdays and Thursdays. 9:30-11 a.m. $3 with ID card; $4 without. Dr. William E. Hale Senior Activity Center, 330 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. (727) 298-3299.

Helping Foster Children: The Leslie Family Children's Foundation and CiCi's Pizza have partnered to raise money for kids aging out of foster care. Patrons simply need to mention they're supporting the Leslie Family Children's Foundation and CiCi's Pizza will donate 10 percent of their dining total to the organization. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Cici's Pizza, 2440 State Road 580 # 13B, Clearwater. Sponsor: Patty Leslie. (727) 239-7171.

Largo Luncheon and Show: Hungry for a great meal? Looking for some inexpensive entertainment? Tickets for this monthly luncheon include a full meal and a one-hour show. Tickets must be purchased in advance, none will be sold at the door. Noon to 2 p.m. $10 per person. Largo Community Center, 65 Fourth St. NW, Largo. (727) 518-3131.

Lovers and Other Strangers: A romantic comedy by Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna about relationships, love and togetherness. Seating at 4 p.m. for Thursday-Sunday evening shows, 11 a.m. for Thursday and Saturday matinees. 1 p.m. Thursday and Saturday. 6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. $29.90 plus tax, buffet and show. Early Bird Dinner Theatre, 200 S McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. (727) 446-5898 or visit earlybirddinnertheatre.com.

Genealogy Help: Members of the Caladesi Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, are available to assist the public with genealogy research every Thursday. No appointment is needed. 1-3 p.m. Free. Dunedin Public Library, 223 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. (727) 733-5383.

Work Out While Kids Play: Parents can choose from Just Pump or Zumba while children have fun at one of Highland's youth classes including Crazy Crafts, Bayside Gymnastics, Super Star Sports, or Tennis. 5:45 p.m. Fees vary. Highland Recreation Complex and Family Aquatic Center, 400 Highland Ave. NE, Largo. (727) 518-3016; largo.com/department/division.php?fDD=13-61.

Author Talk: Living in America as a woman of color, Amy Bryant's life and that of her family has been shaped by a multicultural mosaic, spanning Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. She will discuss You Can Go Home Again, a collection of vignettes to honor the richness of a heritage that defines her unique American experience. Copies available for sale and signing. 6:30 p.m. Free. Safety Harbor Library, 101 Second St. N, Safety Harbor. (724) 724-1525, ext. 112.

British Commonwealth Society: Guests are welcome at the monthly meeting of the British Commonwealth Society. Refreshments will be served. 6:30 p.m. Annual club dues are $25. Keystone Park, 17928 Gunn Highway, Odessa. (727) 939-0362.

Oldsmar Camera Club: The club is a fledgling organization formed by Oldsmar residents and open to all photography enthusiasts in the upper Tampa Bay area. Looking for both novice and experienced photographers who would be interested in weekend day trips and other learning venues. 7 p.m. Fratelli Italian Restaurant & Bar, 120 Commerce Blvd., Suite 1, Oldsmar. (813) 854-1717.

Bingo: Play bingo at the yacht club every Thursday. 7-9 p.m. Tarpon Springs Yacht Club, 350 N Spring Blvd., Tarpon Springs. (727) 934-2136.

Steve Arik: 9:30 p.m. $15. Coconuts Comedy Club at Shephard's Beach Resort, 619 S Gulfview Blvd., Clearwater Beach. (727) 360-5653; coconutscomedyclub.com.

By Rodney Thrash, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Over Labor Day weekend, this boat was abandoned in St. Joseph Sound. The county will call a salvage company if necessary and bill and fine the owner — if found.

DUNEDIN — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is looking for the person who deliberately dumped this 40-foot vessel in St. Joseph Sound over Labor Day weekend.

"Whoever moved the boat has not contacted the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office or the United States Coast Guard and it's a navigational hazard," said Sgt. Dwayne Somers, supervisor of the Marine Enforcement Unit. "We believe someone was transporting it overnight to dispose of it, which is illegal."

The owner has 30 days to claim the vessel. If no one comes forward, the county will call a salvage company to remove it, tear it apart and take it to the county dump.

The responsible party could be on the hook for the removal costs and face up to five years in jail as well as $5,000 in fines.

Dumping a large vessel in a waterway is a third-degree felony.

By Nova Beall, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Countryside Rotary presented the titles of Mr. & Mrs. Countryside 2010 to Jim Laughlin and Debbie Struk at its awards event Monday afternoon at Synovus Bank in Clearwater. Since 1977, two Countryside residents have been named annually based on their community involvement.

McLaughlin, then a Motorola Semiconductor employee, moved into the Countryside area with his wife, Harriet, and sons Todd and Chad after a transfer to Clearwater in 1981.

His community involvement arose from his children's participation in sports programs. He coached basketball at St. Cecelia School and the Clearwater for Youth recreation program. He also coached several Countryside Lightning soccer teams.

McLaughlin was involved with Countryside Little League from 1982 through 1996, holding several positions on the league's board, including president, and also coached and umpired.

From 1982 to 1987, he worked with Countryside Soccer and the city of Clearwater to help develop the Countryside Misty Springs Complex and was a force behind the construction and management of the first concession stand, which included equipment storage and a press box. The stand was dedicated to him on opening day 1987.

He retired in December 2007 from Fairchild Semiconductor as global account manager.

McLaughlin and his family have been members of Countryside Country Club since 1981. He's been an active golfer there, was captain of the FSGA Interclub Team for 2010, and is on the golf committee.

Five years ago, in an effort to spread the joy of reading, Struk began putting books in coin laundries for children to read there or take home. Once word spread of her efforts, local groups began contributing to the program. The biggest response came from the Countryside High Florida Future Educators of America Chapter. Its members have staged book drives at the school for the past three years, bringing in more than 6,000 books.

The large volume of books enabled Struk to launch the Book Fairy Project, in which books are distributed to Pinellas County Health and Dental clinics, tutoring programs, after-school programs, PACE Center for Girls, Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranch, Suncoast Voices for Children Foster Care, and other organizations.

Struk organizes groups to participate annually in the Read Across America Celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday, as well as other classroom reading programs.

She has been a member of the GFWC North Pinellas Woman's Club for six years and has held many offices, including president in 2008.

She serves as leadership chair and as adviser for the GFWC Clearwater Juniorettes, a volunteer service and leadership group for high school girls. She also serves as membership chair at the district level.

Other projects include breast cancer fundraisers and raising scholarship money for young cancer survivors, Teen Dating 101 at Countryside High, work with the Haven Domestic Violence Shelter, and serving as captain for luncheons for Community Pride School and PACE Center for Girls.

Struk works in Youth Services at Tarpon Springs Public Library and also mentors at Tarpon Springs High.

• • •

Jaclyn and Nicole Fosnacht of Largo, daughters of Verizon employee Daniel Fosnacht, are among 675 students nationwide who received scholarships for the 2010-11 academic year through Verizon's scholarship program for the children and dependents of company employees.

The students will each receive $5,000 annually toward college expenses. The scholarship program selects recipients based on financial need, academic achievement and extracurricular activities. Each scholarship is renewable for three years and has a total value of $20,000. The sisters attend the University of Florida.

Since 2001, the scholarship program has invested more than $39 million toward the college education of children and dependents of Verizon employees.

To submit an item, write to Nova Beall, 710 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756. Fax to (727) 445-4119 or e-mail sbeall@sptimes.com. Good For You includes news of 50th wedding anniversaries, people celebrating their 100th birthday (or more) and young people's noteworthy achievements academically, in the arts or community service. For information or an anniversary form, call (727) 445-4221.

By Ron Matus, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

An embattled Pinellas school district administrator accused of creating a "culture of fear" in her department will not be moving to another key job after all.

By a 5-2 vote, the Pinellas County School Board voted Tuesday night to reject a recommendation from superintendent Julie Janssen to make Janet Hernandez the new director of dropout prevention after a rocky year as the director of professional development.

Janssen said despite employee complaints, she wanted to give Hernandez a second chance in a new setting, with frequent monitoring under a "success plan." But a majority of board members said the problems in professional development — where employees accused Hernandez of bullying and intimidation — were too great to give her another shot at another top job.

"We need the most qualified person … the person who knows our community, the person who knows dropout prevention," said board member Linda Lerner. "I'm not going to put someone in there who needs a success plan."

"There's too many red flags," said board member Robin Wikle.

The board action followed a story in Tuesday's St. Petersburg Times about Hernandez, who left a teaching job in Manatee County last year to take over the professional development department. The story noted a rare staff survey that top Pinellas officials commissioned in late spring to gauge employee sentiment about Hernandez and her leadership abilities. The story also noted the district ordered an investigation into Hernandez's role in filling out her husband's job application, and that Janssen had provided Hernandez with a glowing reference when she applied for a district job in 2008. Janssen and Hernandez know each other from graduate school at the University of South Florida.

Lerner, Wikle, Janet Clark, Carol Cook and Mary Brown voted for a motion to reject Janssen's recommendation. Peggy O'Shea and Nina Hayden voted against it.

"There comes a time as a board member where I have to allow Dr. Janssen to make certain decisions," Hayden said. "This is one where I'd be more inclined to defer to Dr. Janssen."

It's not clear where Hernandez, who makes $76,549 a year, will go next.

"We'll go forward," Janssen said. "We'll find a place for her … that will better match her skills."

The board's action means she technically remains a director in human resources. But Lerner and Clark told Janssen they expect Hernandez will be moved out of professional development — and soon.

"I understand on paper that's what it is," Lerner said. "But I certainly have the expectation that the proper place for Dr. Hernandez will be found in not too long a time."

In other business, the board:

• Unanimously approved an ever-so-slight decrease in property tax rates to support a new $1.4 billion budget. The new rate is $8.34 for every $1,000 of taxable property value, down from last year's rate of $8.35.

The district cut $16.6 million to balance the budget, including $2.6 million from staff reductions and $2.3 million from shifting more health care costs to employees. The new budget includes $35.9 million in federal stimulus money.

• Voted unanimously to finalize a tougher attendance policy that will make it harder for students to be exempt from final exams. It is effective immediately.

The district loosened the rules last year in the wake of swine flu fears, allowing high schoolers with an A or B average to skip finals no matter how many days they had missed. Under the new policy, students with an A or B average must still take the final if they have five or more absences (excused or unexcused) per semester in any class.

The board included three specific exceptions that will not be counted as absences: religious holidays, school-sponsored activities and college visitation days.

• Unanimously approved a settlement in a decade-old class-action suit that accused the district of depriving black students of a quality education.

The settlement in Crowley vs. the Pinellas County School Board, which goes before a judge for final approval today, essentially merges that case with another one that deals with black student achievement. Under it, the district agrees to "give full and prompt consideration" to any future charter school applications that are "located in and designed to serve student needs in the black community."

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

State Fire Marshal investigators work the scene of a fire that ripped through the Suncoast Mattress Depot in Spring Hill on Monday night. The rest of the building was badly damaged as well. Authorities say they suspect arson.

The State Fire Marshal's office is investigating a fire that ripped through a Spring Hill mattress shop Monday, causing nearly $1 million in damages.

Detective Stacy McIntyre said authorities received report of the blaze at Suncoast Mattress Depot about 6:40 p.m.

The 3,000-square foot store, which has operated at 11021 Spring Hill Drive for 20 years, was nearly destroyed.

"There were about a half a dozen fire trucks here by the time I got here," store owner Joe Simone said. "There's no stopping mattresses once they go up. I'm just glad nobody got hurt."

Authorities consider the cause of the fire to be arson.

McIntyre said anyone with information about the blaze should contact Detective St. Clair at the Fire Marshal's office at (813) 972-9604. They are also encouraged to call the arson tip line at (877) NO-ARSON.

Anyone with information leading to the arrest or conviction of a suspect is eligible for a reward of up to $20,000.

Joel Anderson and Will Vragovic, Times staff

By Joel Anderson, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

BROOKSVILLE — Hernando deputies have arrested a 31-year-old woman on a warrant that accuses her of impersonating a law enforcement officer.

Janie Ilene Melton, 31, was taken into custody Monday and transported to the Hernando County Jail. She was released early Tuesday after posting $2,000 bail.

According to the arrest affidavit, Melton went to a Hess gas station at 26260 Cortez Blvd. on Aug. 14 and told an employee that she was looking for her daughter, who she had reported missing and believed had been in that store.

Deputies said Melton asked the station's assistant manager to review the store's surveillance video. An off-duty, nonuniformed deputy came to the store and eventually got Melton to reveal that she wasn't a deputy.

After a month of interviews and an investigation by the State Attorney's Office, Melton was taken into custody Monday afternoon at Chocachatti Elementary School.

Melton used to work as a sheriff's deputy, but is currently unemployed, according to the affidavit.

Melton's mother, Shirley Melton, was also taken into custody Monday on charges of assault and battery of a law enforcement officer.

Shirley Melton allegedly confronted deputies when they came to their home Monday looking to serve the warrant. Deputies said Shirley Melton pushed one of them in the back as they attempted to leave her property.

Joel Anderson can be reached at joelanderson@sptimes.com or (352) 754-6120.

By Barbara Behrendt, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

BROOKSVILLE — Reluctant to burn an option that would bring the Hernando fire service to a higher safety standard, the County Commission voted Tuesday to apply for a federal grant to pay for new firefighters.

The deadline to apply for the federal money is Friday and the grant would pay 100 percent of the cost of up to 12 firefighters for two years. That would mean that all fire trucks could be staffed with three people, a standard that county Fire Chief Mike Nickerson has sought for years.

In order to get the two years paid, the county would have to finance the cost in the third year. That was where cash-strapped commissioners were reluctant to commit themselves.

In fiscal year 2012-13, six more firefighters would cost the county $175,000, 12 would cost $350,000 because the grant would still pay a portion. In the following fiscal year, that cost would all be on the county at $359,000 for six and $718,000 for 12 positions.

Twelve new firefighters would allow Hernando County Fire Rescue to add one person to each shift on the four fire trucks that now operate with just a two-person crew, Nickerson explained. The industry standard is four per truck. When two people arrive at a fire now, they must decide whether to fight the fire against safety protocols or wait for help to arrive.

"It's not a safe situation,'' Nickerson said.

County Commissioner Jim Adkins, who retired as Brooksville's fire chief, was sympathetic to the need for minimum manpower, but not to the fire department's increase in budgets from $6 million to $14 million since 2005. He said he didn't want to see fire fees increase, but preferred seeing Nickerson and County Administrator David Hamilton find a way to provide the needed staff without costing taxpayers any more money.

Chairman John Druzbick pointed to the 21/2 percent pay raise built into the firefighters' contract for next year and the nearly $100,000 extra that will cost Hernando taxpayers next year.

While the fire service was looking to add people, the County Commission's other departments have faced layoffs, no raises for several years and a pay cut last year.

Druzbick said he would like to see some movement from the fire department. "I'd like to see some concessions,'' he said.

The firefighters have made concessions, argued Robert Rae, president of the local firefighters union. They agreed to pay freezes in the top ranks of the department and to forgo last year's raises as set in the agreed-upon contract in order to hire new firefighters just to save money on overtime.

"I think the union is trying to help things out,'' Rae said. "We just want our people to be safe out there.''

Commissioner David Russell said he couldn't approve recurring costs to be paid with grant money and commit the future commissioners to paying for the additional personnel.

"You have to sharpen your pencils,'' said Commissioner Jeff Stabins. "We want the men and women to be safe, but we've got to do something about the spending.''

Nickerson said he would work with Hamilton to reduce costs and find a way to pay for the staff when the grant funds were gone. He said that if commissioners approve applying for the grant and if a plan to pay the third-year costs doesn't come forward, they could refuse to take the grant.

That compromise was enough to gain a unanimous vote by the commission to apply for the funding.

In other business:

• Commissioners were given a letter recently delivered to Orion Dredging Services LLC, the contractor on the stalled Hernando Beach Channel dredging project. At their attorney's suggestion, they had no discussion on the topic other than announcing that if Orion responds in the next few days the county may have to call a special commission meeting for Tuesday. The county has given Orion a deadline next week to return to the site and begin work on the dredge. The county also refused to agree to a change order that would have driven the cost of the project from the $5  million originally awarded the firm to $12.8 million.

• Commissioners unanimously approved a rezoning for a residential development previously approved at Cobb Road and Fort Dade Avenue. The original plan was for multifamily work force housing on the 40-acre site. The new plan by applicant 34601 Realty Partners LLC offers a mix of 240 multifamily units in buildings of three stories or less and 58 single-family homes.

Barbara Behrendt can be reached at behrendt@sptimes.com or (352) 848-1434.

By Demorris A. Lee, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

State Rep. Peter Nehr has raised more than five times as much money as his Democratic opponent for the upcoming Nov. 2 showdown for the state House District 48 seat.

Challenger Tom McKone, D-East Lake, says the money is a sign that Nehr, R-Palm Harbor, who is seeking a third term, is beholden to special interest groups.

"He does have a lot of money from special interest groups in Tallahassee," said McKone, 59, a member of the East Lake Fire District Commission. "I'm relying on friends in the district."

But Nehr, 58, shrugs off the claim, saying that it takes money to run an effective campaign. He said he is open to all good ideas, no matter the origin.

"The lobbyists give me money," Nehr said. "The four years I've been in the Legislature, I've had an open-door policy. I listen to both sides of the issues and make a final vote based on what's good for the citizens of Florida.

"I received money from utility companies, and I still proposed legislation that would have forced them to reduce utility rates."

House District 48 includes northern Pinellas County and a small portion of Pasco County.

According to campaign financial reports submitted to the state Division of Elections, Nehr has raised $140,357.08 while McKone has raised $23,534.41.

Nehr, who had two challengers in a Republican primary last month, has spent $93,508.85. McKone had no primary challenger and has spent $16,455.43.

Without more fundraising, that leaves Nehr with $46,848.23 and McKone with $7,078.98 heading into the final six weeks before the Nov. 2 election.

Nehr has loads of $500 contributions with many of them coming from Tallahassee groups such as Council of Florida Family Practice, Florida Association of Behavior Analysis and the Osteopathic Medical Association.

McKone has about a dozen $500 contributions. Several of them have come from union groups such as the Iron Workers Local 397 and the International Union of Operating Engineers.

"He says he's against oil drilling, then he goes and takes money from the oil companies," McKone said.

Money and incumbency usually add up to victory.

"When you combine money and incumbency, the duel advantage, you are all but undefeatable," said Denise Roth Barber, research director for the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

The institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that studies the influence of campaign money on state-level elections and public policy in all 50 states.

In a study that it released in May, the institute found that in the 2007 and 2008 legislative elections, candidates without the incumbency or fundraising advantages had a win rate of just 8 percent.

In Florida, 100 of 101 incumbents who ran, won, for a success rate of 99 percent, the study found. Candidates with the fundraising advantage won 92 percent of the time.

Incumbents were top fundraisers 92 percent of the time, the study found, and everyone with the dual advantage won.

Barber said it was "shocking to have the data show so strongly" the importance of money and incumbency.

"When you ask someone to donate," Barber said, "they are now invested in you and go to the polls fairly committed to you."

Contact Demorris A. Lee at dalee@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4174

By Jared Leone, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Carastro & Associates recently found hundreds M. Leo Elliott’s original drawings. Elliott’s designs include old Tampa City Hall.

TAMPA — Thousands of drawings by an influential Tampa architect once thought lost will have a permanent home.

Cardboard tubes containing architectural renderings by M. Leo Elliott were discovered in a South Tampa attic about a month ago.

The work could take years and still needs funding, but a partnership between the Tampa Bay History Center and the USF School of Architecture and Community Design could eventually have the drawings available for researchers, architects, history buffs and anyone else interested in looking at them.

"We are at the very beginning of all of this," said Rodney Kite-Powell, curator at the Tampa Bay History Center, where the drawings were recently moved.

The drawings will be digitally archived into a searchable online database. The physical plans will be stored in large, flat envelopes at the history center.

The papers show the original intent of the buildings, which might otherwise have been lost through renovation and refurbishing. Because of the volume of drawings, they also show an evolution in building design and construction, Kite-Powell said.

The drawings were discovered after being kept for about 20 years in a consulting firm's attic.

A former partner of Elliott's apparently got them while collecting old plans for GTE, which later became Verizon. The GTE plans were part of a large collection that wound up at Carastro & Associates. The tubes sat there until the company had work done on its air-conditioning system recently.

Elliott, who died in 1967, designed old Tampa City Hall, the Centro Asturiano, the Tampa Yacht Club and Bryan Elementary School. He also designed many South Tampa, Bayshore and Davis Islands homes, including the Leiman-Wilson house in the Hyde Park Historic District.

Trent Green, an associate professor of architecture at USF, said it is important to preserve Elliott's work.

"This is rare to have this much documentation," Green said. "It appears that he was very meticulous in recording his projects." An aged filing card system filled with hundreds of yellowed cards attempts to catalog the drawings.

"A lot of times, this kind of work gets thrown out because people don't realize it's a resource for the next generation to study and learn from," Green said.

Jared Leone can be reached at (813) 226-3435 or jleone@sptimes.com.

By Luis Perez, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The owner and a manager of a Pinellas County electronics company have been indicted on federal charges that they sold nearly 60,000 counterfeit microchips to the military, which prosecutors say may have put national security and hundreds of lives at risk.

Shannon L. Wren, 42, of 11200 Fifth St. E in Treasure Island, and Stephanie A. McCloskey, 38, of 2092 Whitney Place N in Clearwater, were arrested on a 10-count indictment charging them with conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit goods and mail fraud, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Prosecutors said the integrated circuits — high-tech devices that control the flow of electricity — that Wren and McCloskey sold to the military were made in China and Hong Kong. The U.S. Navy and defense contractors ordered the devices for use on military warships and planes and in missiles and weapons systems believing they were of "military grade," when in fact they were fakes, prosecutors said.

The indictment, which was handed up last week by a Washington, D.C., grand jury, comes as government agencies warn that such low-grade circuitry could be defective or, worse, harbor "electronic Trojan horses" that enable hackers to do harm.

The military pays premium prices for chips that can withstand desert heat, deep sea cold or vibrations from a missile launch. But the demand for that caliber of circuitry has surged with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, exposing the military to a bustling knockoff market.

"Product counterfeiting, particularly of the sophisticated kind of equipment used by our armed forces, puts lives and property at risk," U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. said in a news release.

A recent study by the Commerce Department found that counterfeit incidents discovered by the military and its suppliers more than doubled between 2005 and 2008 to more than 9,356 cases, the Washington Post reported.

Prosecutors said Wren and McCloskey sold the devices through Wren's company, VisionTech Components at 5120 110th Ave. N in Clearwater. McCloskey is a manager there. Authorities conducted a raid there Tuesday, confiscating computer equipment and several vehicles including a Showhauler motor home, Ferrari Spider, Bentley Arnage and Mercedes-Benz motorcycles.

The circuits they sold the military were valued at about $426,000, prosecutors said, and included use in Navy warships and a classified Raytheon missile program. But the indictment does not say that any faulty counterfeit chips actually made their way into weapons systems.

From 2007 to 2009, the company sold $16 million worth of counterfeit circuitry overall, according to prosecutors, including defective parts that were found in chips bound for use on a "life critical" control system for high-speed trains.

Some of the chips sold by the pair were allegedly resold by Mustafa Aljaff and Neil Felahy, of Newport Beach, Calif., who recently admitted to importing more than 13,000 counterfeit chips from China. Aljaff and Felahy are cooperating with authorities.

Wren, a former drag car racer who owns Reborn Couture, a South Tampa retail store frequented by professional athletes, was being held at the Pinellas County Jail Tuesday night at the request of U.S. marshals. McCloskey was released on $25,000 bail and restricted from travel.

They could not be reached for comment, and it was not immediately clear if they had retained lawyers. They face up to 35 years in prison if convicted.

Information from the Washington Post and Reuters was used in this report. Luis Perez can be reached at (727) 892-2271 or Lperez@sptimes.com.

Times staff
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

PINELLAS PARK

Van driver dies after hitting concrete pole

A 43-year-old Clearwater man was killed Tuesday after his van crashed into a concrete pole, police said. The man, who was not identified pending notification of his next of kin, was driving a 1996 Dodge minivan north in the 6800 block of 49th Street about noon, police said, when his vehicle veered to the right and hit a light pole, police said. He was taken to Northside Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said the crash may have involved a medical condition, but they still are investigating.

TARPON SPRINGS

Mom rescues toddler from pool

A 2-year-old girl who almost drowned after falling into the family pool was rescued by her mother Tuesday morning, police said. Anastasia Korfias fell into the above-ground pool about 8 a.m. Her mother, Tracy Korfias, found her and then ran into the house and called 911. Anastasia wasn't breathing, so her mother struck her back with the palm of her hand, police said. Anastasia then began to breathe. She was taken by helicopter to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and was alert and responsive, police said. Anastasia was only out of the sight of her mother for a few minutes, police said. An initial investigation suggests the ladder to the pool was hanging instead of being secured where it wouldn't be usable, police said. Everything else about the pool was proper and safe, police said, noting that this was an accident.

North Pinellas

Questions sought for candidates

The Council of North County Neighborhoods is hosting a candidates forum at 7 p.m. Monday, and the organization is inviting the public to send questions for the participants. The program, which will include candidates for State House District 48, County Commission Districts 2 and 4 and the East Lake Fire Commission, will be held at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, 1555 Windmill Pointe Road, Palm Harbor. Submit your questions by Friday by either visiting www.cncnpc.org, e-mailing done@cncnpc.org or calling Don Ewing at (727) 560-5586.

Clearwater

Golf tourney set to fight disease

In celebration of Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the Sickle Cell Disease Association of Upper Pinellas/Pasco/Hernando Counties Inc. will host a golf tournament Sept. 25 at Clearwater Country Club, 525 N Betty Lane. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and play begins at 9 a.m. Cost is $80 a person and includes 18 holes, range balls, cart fee, green fee and luncheon. A hole-in-one can win a 2010 Nissan Altima donated by Lokey Nissan. Businesses can present their banners on one of the holes for $250 each. Checks should be made payable to SCDA Upper Pinellas/Pasco/Hernando Counties Inc. and sent to P.O. Box 6312, Clearwater, FL 33758-6312. Call Deborah Peterson at (727) 474-2538.

By Mike Brassfield, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Kathi Trautwein, right, accepting a food donation from the Rev. Dennis Reid at the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Clearwater.

CLEARWATER — The Religious Community Services Food Bank, the biggest distributor of food to Pinellas County's needy, has parted ways with Kathi Trautwein, its director for the past three years. That has upset a number of longtime volunteers, who are unhappy about her departure.

"We're heartbroken that Kathi has been relieved of her duties. She's very committed. This is a calling to her," said Wallace Webb, 82, of Dunedin, who has volunteered at the food pantry for years. "I cannot understand it. I know of no possible reason to terminate Kathi's employment."

Webb and eight other volunteers signed a letter protesting the decision.

RCS and Trautwein are saying little about the split, which took place last week.

RCS says Trautwein's position was eliminated as part of a management restructuring.

"Kathi will be sorely missed," said RCS development director Lisa Matzner. "We needed to make some management changes. That was presented to her, and we talked about different ways that she may or may not be able to fit into that. She chose to leave."

RCS operates a food pantry at 700 Druid Road in Clearwater. It's serving twice as many people as it did a couple of years ago. Clients can come in once a month and get enough to eat for three or four days.

Duggan Cooley, president and chief executive of the Clearwater-based charity, wouldn't discuss the reasons behind Trautwein's departure except to say that RCS decided to reshuffle its management team.

He said RCS will be focusing more on the efficiency of its food distribution network — things like food storage, fleet management and inventory tracking.

"Instead of having an overall general director, there will be more targeted positions," Cooley said. "I met with Kathi and told her of the changes. She gave us her resignation."

For her part, Trautwein noted that she and her husband had been involved with RCS for about 20 years.

"I'm sad to be gone from there. It's been an important part of my life," Trautwein said. "I understand the management's right to make changes. I'm sorry they felt that I wasn't what they wanted to be part of that structure."

Mike Brassfield can be reached at brassfield@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4160.

By Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

TAMPA — An officer stopped a knife attack outside St. Joseph's Children's Hospital by shooting and injuring the attacker Tuesday night, police said.

The altercation began when Tampa police got a call that the drivers of two vehicles near the hospital were shouting at each other in traffic.

Officer Alexander Moreno responded and couldn't find the fight, so he checked with hospital security. When he came outside at 9:55 p.m., the attack was in progress, police said.

The father of a 16-year-old girl at the hospital, Yoel Leon, was slashing with a knife at Carlos Lao, who police said is the boyfriend of Leon's estranged wife.

Moreno order Leon to drop the knife — but when he continued attacking, the officer shot him, police said.

Leon was taken to the emergency room and was reported in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Lao was not injured. Moreno was placed on administrative leave while the investigation is under way.

No charges had been filed Tuesday night.

By Demorris A. Lee, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Henry Ross, 72, questions Tarpon Springs public services program manager Bob Robertson during a hearing Tuesday at City Hall. 

TARPON SPRINGS — Henry Ross wore a beige corduroy blazer with brown leather patches on the elbows and a pair of blue jeans as he took a city official through a line of questions Tuesday.

His thick, white eyebrows slanted with every response. He often gave a deep "umhum" to answers.

Ross, 72, wants to know how the manatees, sea grass, sea turtles and overall habitat will be affected after water from a proposed $45 million treatment plant is discharged into an industrial canal near the Anclote River.

"Has anyone studied the effects on the natural habitat that's already existing in the basin?" Ross asked every witness he questioned.

Virtually all the witnesses Tuesday said that based on studies there would be no adverse effect on the area's marine habitat.

Tuesday was the second day of a hearing requested by Ross to determine if Tarpon Springs should get a required environmental permit to build the water treatment plant.

Monday's testimony included expert witnesses and even a commercial fisherman talking about the possible effects to his livelihood.

Tarpon Springs officials contend Ross is just trying to delay the project.

"His intention is to delay this and he has informed the city staff of that," Thomas Trask, attorney for the city, said Tuesday.

If that is the intent, it has worked.

Construction was to start next month, but now it could take up to three months before Bram D. E. Canter, the administrative law judge hearing the matter, makes a finding. And if that recommendation doesn't go in Ross' favor, he could appeal, which could take another six months.

On April 19, Ross requested an administrative hearing with the state's Division of Administrative Hearings. He wants the city to be denied a required environmental permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

During Tuesday's proceedings in the conference room at Tarpon Springs City Hall, Ross cross-examined witnesses presented by the city and the Department of Environmental Protection.

Ross often objected to testimony and asked that reports conducted by witnesses be deemed inadmissible because elements of the research were "hearsay."

Tarpon Springs' proposed project calls for a reverse-osmosis treatment facility that treats brackish, or salty water pulled from 17 wells drilled 100 to 150 feet deep north of the Anclote River. The resulting salt concentrate, or brine, will be flushed into an industrial canal that empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

The reverse-osmosis plant would be allowed to discharge 2.79 million gallons a day of industrial wastewater.

Ross said the city should use an underground injection well system that sends the discharge back into the ground. Bob Robertson, Tarpon's public services program manager, testified Tuesday that the method was not feasible.

Robertson declined to comment to the St. Petersburg Times after his testimony, citing the ongoing hearing.

The city started the permitting process for the treatment plant in 2006.

This isn't the first time that Ross has delayed a city project. In 2000, Ross filed a similar request in an attempt to prevent the city from dredging along the Anclote River. City Manager Mark LeCouris said that action slowed the city's efforts for five to six years and "cost taxpayers probably hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Contact Demorris A. Lee at dalee@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4174.

By Robbyn Mitchell, Times Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

TAMPA — City Council members voted 6-1 Tuesday to tentatively approve a proposed budget and property tax rate for 2011.

The lone dissent was cast by council member Charlie Miranda, who said he agreed with the budget philosophy but couldn't support the practice.

"I'm not going to propose increases in salaries and at the same time I'm laying 235 people off," Miranda said afterward.

City budget officials reduced personnel costs to $209 million for 2011, a figure lower than 2007's budget. But some staffers will receive step increases, which the council froze last year.

Also, struggling stock markets have forced Tampa to contribute $40.6 million to pension funds, a $29.3 million increase.

In addition to layoffs, vacant positions were removed for a total of 673 jobs eliminated, said finance director Bonnie Wise.

Budget savings also came from consolidating city functions and changing some operations. However, the budget increased by 4.4 percent from last year, and $12 million of the cost will have to be covered by the city's reserves.

A citizens budget advisory committee urged council members to further pare the budget by considering privatizing services, deferring at least $10 million in projects, reviewing employee salaries and reducing the tax rate.

"It's not fiscally prudent to balance the budget by going to reserves," said Mark Anderson, a committee member.

The council supported maintaining a property tax rate of $5.73 per $1,000 of assessed taxable value. That means a person with a $157,000 home and a $50,000 homestead exemption will pay about $613 in city taxes.

A final public hearing and vote is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sept. 28.